Riverside Councilman Steve Adams held up the promotion of a police officer for not supporting him politically, according to an ethics complaint filed Monday and court depositions from a lawsuit by two other officers.

The city charter forbids council members from interfering in personnel matters.

It’s time to come to the bargaining table so we can stop spending taxpayer dollars on litigation costs.

The City of Upland, Caltrans, San Bernardino Associated Governments (Sanbag), and the County of San Bernardino have spent far too much money and time litigating the lawsuit related to the 20th Street storm drain and the Colonies project rather than sitting down and attempting to mediate our differences.

COLTON – Colton First, a well-known citizen’s group and political action committee, has filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission alleging City Councilman Vincent Yzaguirre failed to report a major in-kind contribution he received during his 2008 re- election campaign.

The complaint says a message encouraging residents to vote for Yzaguirre ran on an electronic reader board sign adjacent to the 10 Freeway for three weeks in October and in the days leading up to the Nov. 4, 2008, election.

The former chief of staff to San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane has withdrawn a complaint that alleged he was repeatedly harassed for cooperating with prosecutors probing alleged government corruption.

Matt Brown, who now works as the assistant county recorder, approached County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux last week to say he wanted to drop his May 3 written complaint, which had been addressed to Biane and copied to the other four members of the county Board of Supervisors. The county Human Resources Department then launched an investigation.

Moreno Valley scrapped its six-month hunt for a city manager after Interim City Manager William Bopf announced that he wanted to be considered for the job and would work cheaper than most of the candidates he already had helped screen.

The Aug. 24 vote to terminate the search frustrated two councilmen and several members of the search committee who have questioned Bopf’s motives, timing and ethics.

SAN BERNARDINO • Attorneys delivered opening statements Monday morning in a multi-million dollar libel lawsuit filed by former San Bernardino County Sheriff Gary Penrod’s wife against a controversial local publisher.

Nancy Bohl accused Raymond Pryke of publishing articles in the Hesperia Resorter, Apple Valley News and Adelanto Bulletin that were “obviously false and grossly libelous.” Bohl’s attorney, John Rowell, said the articles hurt Bohl’s reputation and she suffered mental and monetary damages.

VICTORVILLE • Five months after officials placed two Victor Valley High School employees on paid leave amid an alleged sex scandal, one of those employees has voluntarily resigned and the second remains on paid leave, according to school officials.

The Victor Valley Union High School District placed the two high school employees on paid leave in late March, after rumors the employees were caught by students having sex in an empty classroom. The Daily Press had learned about the allegations that triggered the investigation through multiple anonymous phone calls and e-mails, as well as students who said the campus was buzzing about the alleged scandal.

California Watch A Project of the Center for Investigative Reporting Money and Politics

August 31, 2010 | Chase Davis

Sitting members of the California Legislature have raised more than $380,000 during the last five days, as lobbyists and special interest groups scramble to push their bills through the Assembly and Senate before this year’s legislative session draws to a close.

Before we dig in deeper later this week, we thought we’d show you how things are stacking up.

WASHINGTON — A looming debate in Congress over whether to continue income tax cuts for the wealthy is already unfolding in California’s Senate race, highlighting a stark ideological contrast between Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and the Republican trying to unseat her, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina.

Fiorina, who signed a no-new-tax pledge earlier this year, has argued on the campaign trail this month that allowing any taxes to rise would inject additional uncertainty into the fragile economy just as businesses are deciding whether to hire or expand.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has been beating the drums for public pension reform for months, and the governor insists he won’t sign a budget package that doesn’t include it.

Schwarzenegger argues that a major boost in state worker pensions 11 years ago – largely adopted by local governments as well – and sharp declines in retirement fund earnings have created massive unfunded liabilities that will gobble up an ever-increasing share of revenue.

A panel recommends increasing contributions by employees, raising the retirement age for new hires and reducing some benefits. President

By Larry Gordon, Los Angeles Times August 31, 2010

The University of California retirement system faces a shortfall of more than $20 billion, according to a new report, and a task force of administrators and employees is recommending changes to help fix the problem.

The panel, which released its report publicly Monday, proposed such changes as increasing contributions made by the university and employees, raising the minimum retirement age for new hires and reducing some benefits.

Pollsters offered some more glum news for Democrats on Monday night: Republicans have their biggest lead ever on the question of which party voters would support for Congress. Gallup’s “generic ballot” – a staple of election prognostication – shows Republicans with a double-digit advantage.